Four of Kentucky’s five thoroughbred tracks have requested 25 per cent fewer racing dates for 2010
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Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Kentucky Downs and Turfway Park all requested fewer dates than this year, with only Keeneland holding firm on its 32-day allocation. If approved, the result will be 67 fewer thoroughbred racing days next year, a total of 206 days compared to the 2009 awards of 273.
The Lexington Herald-Leader’s Janet Patton reported commission chairman Robert Beck saying the date requests are “less than I would hope for, but I think everybody has justified why they are doing it. It’s all economic.”
Beck said maintaining year-round racing is about all the state can ask at this point. He said the requests will most likely be approved next week by the Nov. 1 deadline, asking “What else are we going to do?”
Thomas Gaines, a commission member, said, “It’s unfortunate that we’re faced with this situation. We’re presiding over the end of racing in Kentucky.” Whether that assessment proves accurate or not, Churchill Downs asked to drop 11 days, to a total of 61; Turfway Park is asking for 81 this year as against 114 last year; and Ellis Park, whose owner Ron Geary had threatened to close the track, asked for 27 days, down 21 from its original 2009 schedule.
Geary said nearby competitors, Indiana Downs and Hoosier Park in Indiana, both HTA tracks, could average as much as $100,000 more in purses than Ellis could next year. On the harness racing side in Kentucky, HTA member the Red Mile is asking to drop two days and move its Grand Circuit meeting two weeks later, to avoid the World Equestrian Games that have gobbled up virtually every hotel room in Lexington.
The Ontario Racing Commission recently issued a moratorium on race date reductions, stating that Ontario's tracks could not apply for less dates in 2010 than allotted in 2009.
(with files from HTA)